Department for Transport

*No heading*

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government which agencies failed to report statistics on road casualties to the Department for Transport in time for the scheduled publication of Reported Road Casualties for October 2016 to March 2017; and what reasons were given bythose agencies for their failure to report on time.

lord callanan: The Department for Transport has postponed publication of its annual 2016 road casualty data until 28 September as a result of a delay in receiving final validated data from Transport for London (TfL), in particular the data which TfL receives and processes for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The MPS data makes up around 15% of the road casualty dataset for Great Britain and therefore a significant component of the national total. The MPS implemented a new reporting system at the end of 2016, the Case Overview and Preparation Application (COPA) system. TfL has reported that, due to changes in the reporting of road casualty data by the MPS via the COPA system, it has taken longer than normal in providing TfL with the required data to ensure validation and finalisation.

Department for Communities and Local Government

*No heading*

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the role of business in reviving high streets.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government recognises the crucial role that business plays in reviving high streets. We established the Future High Street Forum in March 2013, consisting of retailers, investors and developers. The Forum provides joint business and Government leadership to enable our high streets to adapt and compete in the face of changing consumer and social trends. The Forum will advise the government in the formation and delivery of policies to support high streets and town centres, in the short and longer term.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

*No heading*

lord truscott: Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to produce a new Energy White Paper.

lord prior of brampton: The Government has set a clear direction of travel on energy policy, through our legislative framework for reducing carbon emissions, by taking a range of key decisions including on Hinkley Point C and funding for renewable electricity, and by ensuring high levels of security through the capacity market.Our Clean Growth Plan will set out proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy through the 2020s. We intend to publish that plan when Parliament sits again after summer recess. We are also committed to action to reduce the cost of energy, including tackling unfair practices in the energy market.

*No heading*

lord truscott: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to bring forward legislation to (1) treat non-fracking drilling as permitted development, (2) make major shale planning decisions the responsibility of the National Planning Regime, and (3) make changes to the proposed Shale Wealth Fund, as outlined in the 2017 Conservative Party manifesto.

lord prior of brampton: The Government has been recently elected and its approach to implementing the manifesto proposals has yet to be finalised.

*No heading*

lord truscott: Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their new Emissions Reduction Plan.

lord prior of brampton: We want the plan to be an ambitious, robust and clear blueprint for Britain’s low carbon future, and are working with colleagues across Government to ensure it meets these criteria. We intend to publish the plan when Parliament sits again after summer recess.

*No heading*

lord bird: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to authorise a moratorium on fracking in England until all available evidence relating to its environmental, economic and social impacts has been independently reviewed and assessed.

lord prior of brampton: A moratorium on hydraulic fracturing was previously imposed in the UK after the detection of two small tremors related to shale gas development in Lancashire in 2011. The Government asked the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering to conduct an independent review of the scientific and engineering evidence on the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, which concluded that “The health, safety and environmental risks associated with hydraulic fracturing as a means to extract shale gas can be managed effectively in the UK as long as operational best practices are implemented and enforced through regulation”. The Government lifted the moratorium in December 2012 and supports the safe and environmentally sound exploration of shale gas to determine the potential of the UK’s resources.

*No heading*

lord bradshaw: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 14 February (HL5241), whether the Consumer Green Paper has been published.

lord prior of brampton: The Government will in due course publish a Green Paper that will examine markets which are not working fairly for consumers.

*No heading*

baroness hayter of kentish town: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Budget Statement on 8 March, and in the light of the Grenfell Tower fire, when they will publish the green paper on protecting consumers; and how they intend to incorporate market surveillance into that green paper.

lord prior of brampton: The Government will in due course publish a Green Paper that will examine markets which are not working fairly for consumers. The content and scope of the Green Paper is under discussion.

*No heading*

baroness hayter of kentish town: Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the Steering Group set up following the Government's Response to the independent review by Lynn Faulds Wood, UK consumer product recall, published on 18 February 2016.

lord prior of brampton: The Government set up a new Working Group on Product Recalls and Safety in October 2016 to build on the initial work of the Steering Group with a broader remit, a shorter timetable, a permanent Chair and a wider group of experts  The Working Group’s initial recommendations were delivered within three months and a number of these have already been taken forward, including the creation of a new central recalls website; the commissioning of the British Standards Institution to create a new code of practice on recalls; improved organisational mapping and support for better sharing of product safety data; and work to better understand consumer behaviour so that safety messages are more effective The Working Group submitted its final report in April 2017. We had intended to publish the report then. However, the announcement of the General Election prevented us from doing so. In light of the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy, Ministers have also asked the Working Group to review their findings to consider any further action that may be required. We will publish that report before the summer recess.

*No heading*

baroness kennedy of cradley: Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the proportion of construction aggregates that derive from recycled sources; and what assessment they have made of the scope for increasing this figure.

lord prior of brampton: The Mineral Products Association has produced analysis in regards to recycled aggregates. The report, Mineral Products Industry at a Glance 2016, indicates 28% of aggregates in 2015 came from recycled or secondary sources.Mineral Planning Authorities in England are responsible for assessing recycled aggregates. When undertaking their Annual Aggregate Assessments they identify the proportion of construction aggregates that derive from recycled sources and estimate the future supply of recycled materials.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend that the UK will continue to have access to the Internal Market Information System database.

lord prior of brampton: In leaving the EU, we want to achieve the best possible outcome and the strongest possible partnership – one that works for the UK and the EU. Good communication between our respective authorities will be important to securing this partnership. The future relationship between UK authorities and information sharing mechanisms such as the Internal Market Information System, will be determined in the course of our negotiations with the EU.

*No heading*

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government how many companies and LLPs fulfil the criteria for a "qualifying company" under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 No. 395, and will therefore be required to report their payment practices and performance.

lord prior of brampton: The Impact Assessment for these Regulations estimated that 15,200 businesses would be in scope to comply with the payment practices and performance reporting requirement.

*No heading*

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government what evidence qualifying companies and LLPs will be required to provide to support their reporting under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 No. 395, and how the Government will verify evidence submitted by relevant companies.

lord prior of brampton: A named company Director, or designated member in the case of LLPs, must approve the information being provided for the payment practices and performance reporting requirement. It is a criminal offence to knowingly or recklessly publish information that is false or misleading. The Government will investigate any challenges to the accuracy of the information provided, on a case by case basis.

*No heading*

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for identifying and investigating misleading, false or deceptive reporting of payment practices and performance by qualifying companies and LLPs as established by the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 No. 395.

lord prior of brampton: The Government will investigate any challenges to the accuracy of the information provided, on a case by case basis.Anyone who is concerned that a business might not have complied, or may have made a false statement, can raise this by contacting the company directly or by contacting the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy at [emailprotected]/*  */!function(t,e,r,n,c,a,p){try{t=document.currentScript||function(){for(t=document.getElementsByTagName('script'),e=t.length;e--;)if(t[e].getAttribute('data-cfhash'))return t[e]}();if(t&&(c=t.previousSibling)){p=t.parentNode;if(a=c.getAttribute('data-cfemail')){for(e='',r='0x'+a.substr(0,2)|0,n=2;a.length-n;n+=2)e+='%'+('0'+('0x'+a.substr(n,2)^r).toString(16)).slice(-2);p.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(decodeURIComponent(e)),c)}p.removeChild(t)}}catch(u){}}()/*  */.

*No heading*

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government what are the (1) minimum and (2) maximum level of fines that will be applicable for the reporting of misleading, false or deceptive payment practices and performance as established by the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 No. 395, and what other disciplinary action will be taken or recommended against relevant firms and individual persons.

lord prior of brampton: In England and Wales, there is no minimum, and no maximum level of fine which would be due on conviction of reporting misleading, false or deceptive payment practices or performance under the Regulations. This reflects the changes to maximum fines which may be imposed on summary conviction in England and Wales under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, fines cannot exceed Level 5 of the Standard Scale. The Government has no plans to take or recommend other disciplinary action against firms or individual persons.

*No heading*

lord rennard: Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to assess the impact of the Cabinet Office Cutting Red Tape programme on building safety; if so, what those plans are; and if not, whether they will consider doing so.

lord prior of brampton: The Cutting Red Tape programme was a series of reviews of regulation and its implementation run jointly by the Cabinet Office and BEIS during the 2015-17 Parliament. Building regulations were relevant to the Cutting Red Tape Review into House Building which was published in February 2017 and focused specifically on new builds. The report did not make recommendations, but reported the findings from consultation with business and other interests, including areas where there might be overlap and duplication between planning conditions and building regulations. The findings of the review helped to inform the Housing White Paper which was published at the same time.

*No heading*

lord rennard: Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the Grenfell Tower disaster, what plans they have to review their one-in, two-out policy for new regulations.

lord prior of brampton: The Government has not yet decided how its better regulation system, including any One-In, Two-Out policy, will operate in this Parliament.

*No heading*

lord rennard: Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the proportion of the total reduction in regulatory costs on business since 2015 that has resulted from the introduction of the 5p charge on plastic bags.

lord prior of brampton: The Government has not yet published a final record of its total regulatory impact on business for the 2015-17 Parliament. Therefore it is not yet possible to calculate the savings from the introduction of the 5p charge on plastic bags as a proportion of the total reduction in regulatory costs on business.

*No heading*

lord rennard: Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total reduction in regulatory costs on business since 2015; and what is their estimate of the total reduction expected by 2020.

lord prior of brampton: In June 2016 the Government reported net savings to business of £885 million from regulatory provisions that counted towards its Business Impact Target during the first year of the 2015-17 Parliament. The Government has not yet published a final report covering the whole of the 2015-17 Parliament.The Government does not have an estimate of the expected regulatory impact on business for the period between now and 2020.

*No heading*

lord rennard: Her Majesty's Government what are the individual budgets agreed between the Better Regulation Executive and Government departments with regulatory responsibility; and what progress has been made against those targets to date.

lord prior of brampton: Deregulatory budgets were agreed between Ministers for a number of departments with regulatory responsibility during the 2015-17 Parliament. The Government has not yet decided what approach it will take to deliver better regulation during the current Parliament.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.

lord prior of brampton: The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) informs and contributes towards better evidence-based policymaking in areas relevant to living and working conditions.Eurofound is funded from a central EU budget and the UK has not made any additional voluntary financial contributions to the foundation.Since the EU referendum vote, the UK has continued to participate in Eurofound. Future engagement between the UK and Eurofound will be considered as part of the broader EU exit negotiations.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

lord prior of brampton: This Government wants the UK to be the go-to place for innovators and investors across the world, and we intend to secure the best possible outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union. We support the objectives of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which include the creation of links integrating education and entrepreneurship to research to drive innovation. As my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister has said, we would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives. However it is too early to speculate on the UK’s future relationship with the EIT. Whatever happens in the future, the Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a world leader in international research and innovation.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

*No heading*

baroness whitaker: Her Majesty's Government whether they will encourage the United Nations to set up more Human Rights Advisory Panels to investigate alleged violations of human rights by UN personnel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains committed to ensuring the UN has appropriate and robust mechanisms in place to address all alleged violations by UN personnel. The UK hosted a UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial in London in September 2016, which among other things, specifically called for all UN personnel deployed in UN peacekeeping operations be committed to the highest standards of conduct. The UN Mission in Kosovo's (UNMIK) Human Rights Advisory Panel was established in response to specific circumstances related to the international administration of Kosovo and is not a model that has applied to regular peace operations.

*No heading*

the earl of sandwich: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of the UN Mission in South Sudan during the July 2016 conflict in Juba; and whether the mission has sufficient capacity and capability to fulfil its role.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK strongly supports the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). We are encouraged by the Mission's response to the recommendations following the independent review into the events of July 2016 by Major General Patrick Cammaert, and welcome the strong start made by the new Special Representative of the Secretary General, Mr David Shearer.We continue to lobby the Government of South Sudan to allow UNMISS to effectively fulfil its mandate to protect civilians, support the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and monitor and investigate human rights; and for the swift deployment of the UN Regional Protection Force.We have contributed up to 400 medical and engineering troops to UNMISS, to help improve the successful delivery of the Mission. This is the UK's largest global deployment of UN peacekeeping troops.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the claims included in a press release issued by Amnesty International on 4 July concerning (1) forcible displacement in the Equatorial region of South Sudan, (2) war crimes against civilians, (3) abduction and gang-rape, and (4) food shortages and starvation resulting from conflict.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are deeply concerned about the violence, and forced relocation of populations along ethnic lines in South Sudan, along with the blocking of humanitarian access. We take very seriously the UN reports which suggest that civilian populations have been deliberately targeted on the basis of their ethnic identity.We are working through the UN, EU, and with regional partners to make clear our concerns about the insecurity, and to try to prevent an increase in violence. The UK Government urges all parties to show restraint, to end the fighting, and to return to an inclusive political process.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that (1) civilians in the Equatorial region of South Sudan are protected under international law, (2) those on all sides responsible for war crimes are brought to justice, and (3) UN peacekeepers fulfil their mandate to protect civilians.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK strongly supports the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and continues to lobby the Government of South Sudan to cooperate fully with the Mission so that it can fulfil its mandate to protect civilians, monitor the human rights situation, and secure the delivery of humanitarian aid. We have contributed nearly 400 troops to UNMISS to provide vital medical and engineering support, which will help to improve the delivery of the Mission.The 2015 Peace Agreement mandated the creation of a Hybrid Court in South Sudan for the most serious of crimes. We continue to urge all parties to accelerate the establishment of the Court. The UK Government has jointly led a resolution at the Human Rights Council in Geneva which extended the mandate of the South Sudan Human Rights Commission to gather evidence of crimes for use in a court of law.

*No heading*

the lord bishop of coventry: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the peace accord between the government of the Central African Republic and 13 armed groups, signed in Rome on 19 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Her Majesty's Government welcomes the peace accord, signed on 19 June. However, we remain concerned by continued violence between armed groups in the Central African Republic, which is causing heavy civilian loss of life and significant population displacement, despite the agreement including an immediate cessation of hostilities. We call on all armed group leaders immediately to implement the cessation provisions in the agreement as well as to honour their commitment, without any restriction, to the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation process.

*No heading*

lord judd: Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made to ensure that UK deployments in Somalia and South Sudan are fully committed to people-centred peacekeeping and robust implementation of a protection of civilians mandate.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK contributes strongly to support both the policy and the delivery of people-centred peacekeeping. The missions supported by British forces in Somalia and South Sudan have a strong focus on the protection of civilians. The important enabling functions carried out by British medics and military engineers on the ground will assist these missions to fulfil this vital task.As a member of the UN Security Council, the UK has a key role in setting the mandates for peacekeeping missions. Working alongside our partners, we seek to ensure that all missions are mandated to protect civilians where relevant. All new UN peacekeeping missions since 1999 have had a protection of civilians element in their mandate, and for some it is the primary goal. The UK has also been a champion of the use of 'phased mandates' which prioritise the delivery of certain tasks, such as protection of civilians. All capacity building training provided by the Ministry of Defence covers International Humanitarian Law, and the Armed Forces deliver training on gender issues and the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence to more than 7,000 African peacekeepers each year.

*No heading*

lord luce: Her Majesty's Government whether, in response to invitations from the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, they are providing any training or assistance for that government; and, if so, in what areas.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been providing a range of technical and practical assistance to the Government of Bahrain since 2012, in support of its reform programme. Any training provided by or on behalf of the Government complies with our domestic and international human rights obligations.The technical assistance we have been providing to Bahrain supports the building of effective and accountable institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and police and justice reform. It has included work with the National Institution of Human Rights, the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman, and the Prisoners' and Detainees' Rights Commission.

*No heading*

lord luce: Her Majesty's Government whether they have been invited by the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain to provide support and training to improve the administration and conditions of prisons in Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been providing a range of technical and practical assistance to the Government of Bahrain since 2012, in support of its reform programme. Any training provided by or on behalf of the Government complies with our domestic and international human rights obligations.The technical assistance we have been providing to Bahrain supports the building of effective and accountable institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and police and justice reform. It has included work with the National Institution of Human Rights, the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman, and the Prisoners' and Detainees' Rights Commission.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

*No heading*

lord wigley: The Senior Deputy Speaker how much financial support ("Cranborne money") has been allocated to each political party for the 2017–18 financial year.

lord mcfall of alcluith: For the 2017-18 financial year, the maximum amount available for financial assistance to opposition parties and the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers (“Cranborne money”) is as follows:(1) £605,318 to the Labour Party,(2) £302,229 to the Liberal Democrats, and(3) £91,929 to the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers.

Department for International Development

*No heading*

lord crisp: Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the success of the Department for International Development's Health Partnership Scheme.

lord bates: The 2016 independent evaluation of the Health Partnership Scheme provided robust evidence that the Scheme contributed to strengthening partnerships; that its projects have strengthened developing country health worker skills and knowledge; and that the approach represents good value for money. The evaluation also finds that the Scheme benefits UK volunteers, who gain new skills and experience which they can take back into the UK health system.

*No heading*

lord crisp: Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to replace the Department for International Development's Health Partnership Scheme; and if so, when the newscheme will start.

lord bates: DFID is considering plans for future support to health partnerships. Any potential new investment would need to be approved by Ministers.

*No heading*

lord crisp: Her Majesty's Government whether health alliances, such as the Uganda UK Health Alliance and the Zambia UK Health Workforce Alliance, will be covered by any new Health Partnership Scheme.

lord bates: We recognise the contribution of these two alliances to health partnerships. Eligibility and selection criteria will be considered as part of the design of any future support for health partnerships.

*No heading*

lord crisp: Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the continuation of existing health partnerships during the period before the commencement of any new Health Partnership Scheme.

lord bates: DFID is currently implementing an extension to the existing Health Partnership Scheme. This will allow partnerships to continue while plans for future support are being explored.

Ministry of Justice

*No heading*

the countess of mar: Her Majesty's Government what is the average total cost to (1) local authorities, (2) health authorities, (3) local education authorities, and (4) the courts, of prosecuting an unfounded case of Munchausen's syndrome by proxy.

lord keen of elie: The information requested is not held.

Ministry of Defence

*No heading*

lord black of brentwood: Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D–Day in 2019.

earl howe: Her Majesty's Government's plans to formally commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in 2019 have yet to be decided. Elements of Defence routinely support annual local events both in the UK and in France.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

*No heading*

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage local authorities to consider washing their high streets and shopping parades on a regular basis, in addition to sweeping and other cleaning measures.

lord gardiner of kimble: Local authorities and other land managers are responsible for keeping their “relevant land”, which includes high streets and shopping parades, clear of litter and refuse. The statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse sets out the standards of cleanliness that they are expected to be able to achieve on different types of land. The Code places the emphasis on the consistent and appropriate management of an area to keep it clean, rather than on how often it is cleaned or the use of specific approaches. It is up to councils to decide how best to meet their statutory duty to keep their relevant land clear of litter and refuse, and how to prioritise this against other local services.

*No heading*

baroness kennedy of cradley: Her Majesty's Government what protections are in place to safeguard wetlands from the effects of dredging.

lord gardiner of kimble: There are a number of protections in place to safeguard wetlands from the effects of dredging, these vary dependent on the type of wetland, its environmental classification and under whose jurisdiction it falls. Main rivers are regulated by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, allowing the Agency to fulfil its environmental duties under the Environment Act 1995 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Ordinary Watercourses are managed by local Risk Management Authorities such as Internal Drainage Boards and District Councils1, who can protect wetlands using byelaws, under the Land Drainage Act 1991. Controlled waters, are also protected from harm to their physical structure under the Water Resources Act 1991.   1 County Councils which are RMAs cannot write byelaws for the purpose of regulating effects on the environment. see Land Drainage Act 1991 section 66 (1A).

Home Office

Fire Resistant Materials

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they have in place to publish the details of police, law enforcement specialists and other relevant civilian experts in service in UN operations and at the UN Headquarters.

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they received from the former Mayor of London, Mr Johnson, about the 2013 conclusions of the Report on Air Pollution in London, which he commissioned but did not publish in full; when any such information was received; and what response they made, if any.

baroness williams of trafford: Public safety is a priority for Government. There are a range of measures in place across a number of Government departments to ensure the effectiveness and safety of flame retardant materials. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is responsible for product safety legislation, which requires products to be safe when they are placed on the market. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility for ensuring the safety of chemicals, including those used as flame retardants. The Health and Safety Executive oversees the EU regulations concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (known as REACH). This has several aims, including providing a high level of protection of human health and the environment from the use of chemicals. Lead responsibility for the safety and effectiveness of flame retardant chemicals will rest with the Department responsible for any legislation specifying their usage.

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government how many police officers were deployed in Wales (1) in 2010, and (2) on the most recent date for which figures are available.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on the number of police officers employed by each police force in England and Wales on a bi-annual basis. These data are published in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletins.

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government how many safer neighbourhood teams have been operational in England and Wales in each year since they were first introduced.

baroness williams of trafford: The number of full time equivalent police officers and PSCOs primarily employed in Neighbourhood Policing teams and/or Safer Neighbourhood teams roles can be found in the data tables published alongside the annual the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletins, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-walesOfficers and PCSOs with multiple responsibilities or designations are recorded under their primary function. The data do not therefore provide a complete picture of all officers assigned to neighbourhood policing functions.Some forces are not able to make a clear distinction between ‘Neighbourhood Policing’ roles and ‘Incident (Response) Management’ roles, therefore those forces record the majority of, or all, employees under just one function. A more reliable measure is the number of officers employed in ‘Local policing’ roles, which includes both neighbourhood and response functions. This measure is available for 2015 and 2016, but not for previous years where a different framework was used.Any comparisons at force level should be made with care due to collaboration arrangements between forces for particular functions. Additionally, police functions data are often affected by re-structuring within police forces. Therefore comparisons over time for specific functions should be made with care.Data as at 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2016 can be found in the Tables F1, F3 F4 and F6 of the police workforce statistics published in July 2016: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/544954/police-workforce-tabs-jul16.odsPrevious data were collected under a different framework, with different definitions, and are therefore not directly comparable with data as at 31 March 2015 or 2016. Data have been published since 2012, and can be found in the supplementary data tables of the relevant police workforce publications via the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-walesAs HMIC has made clear, there is no simple link between police numbers and crime levels, between numbers and the visibility of police in the community, or between numbers and the quality of service provided.Decisions on the size and composition of the police workforce are operational matters for Chief Officers working with their Police and Crime Commissioners and taking into account local priorities. The next release of ‘Police workforce’ statistics is due to be published on 20th July, and will represent the picture as at 31 March 2017.



Table - HL260
(Excel SpreadSheet, 862.65 KB)

*No heading*

the earl of sandwich: Her Majesty's Government how many Nepalese students applied to undertake further education in the UK in the last two years for which figures are available, and how many were accepted.

baroness williams of trafford: Information on total sponsored entry clearance visa applications to study by nationality, is published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics Sponsorship tables, (found here://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-january-to-march-2017/list-of-tables#visas).



Table - C11-C13 Immigration Stats Sponsorship
(Excel SpreadSheet, 61.37 KB)

*No heading*

lord lexden: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 23 December 2016 (HL4133), whether the College of Policing's authorised professional practice on media relations has been published.

baroness williams of trafford: College of Policing's Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on media relations was published on the College of Policing website on 15 June 2017. It can be found at this address, https://www.app.college.police.uk/app-content/engagement-and-communication/media-relations/.



APP Media Relations 
(PDF Document, 152.66 KB)

*No heading*

lord truscott: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to bring forward proposals to “ensure that foreign ownership of companies controlling important infrastructure does not undermine British security or essential services”, as outlined in the 2017 Conservative Party manifesto; and, if so, when.

baroness williams of trafford: Her Majesty the Queen, in her speech to Parliament, set out that the Government would "bring forward proposals to ensure that critical national infrastructure is protected to safeguard national security". The Government will bring forward these proposals in due course.

*No heading*

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government how many Special Constables there are in each police force in England and Wales.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on the number of Special Constables in each police force in England and Wales on a bi-annual basis.The latest available data are published in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales, 30 September 2016’ statistical bulletins. 



Table - HL569
(Excel SpreadSheet, 26 KB)

HM Treasury

*No heading*

lord green of deddington: Her Majesty's Government how many people, who at the time of issue of their National Insurance number were recorded as being of (1) Romanian nationality, and (2) Bulgarian nationality, wereknown to (a) the Real Time Information system, and (b) the self assessment system, by HM Revenue and Customs, in the financial year 2015–16.

lord bates: The information is not available as the nationality of individuals is not a reporting requirement of PAYE Real-Time Information or the Self-Assessment system. The latest information on the National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals including Bulgarians and Romanians has been published by the Department for Work and Pensions on GOV.UK[1].  [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-insurance-number-allocations-to-adult-overseas-nationals-to-march-2017

Cabinet Office

*No heading*

lord stoddart of swindon: Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Young of Cookham concerning an English Parliament (HL4548) whether they will explain why an English Parliament would detract from a strong United Kingdom whilst a Scottish Parliament does not.

lord young of cookham: The Government believes in a strong United Kingdom Parliament for a strong United Kingdom. English votes for English laws embeds fairness and balance into Parliament’s law making process, strengthening England’s voice, just as devolution has strengthened the voices of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland within our Union. We therefore do not believe there is public appetite or need for an English Parliament. English Votes for English Laws ensures English matters are approved by English MPs.

*No heading*

viscount waverley: Her Majesty's Government whether they have a strategy for the outsourcing of services; and, if so, whether they plan to alter this strategy as a result of Brexit.

lord young of cookham: The driving principle underpinning the delivery of public services is – and will remain – the best value for money for the public purse. As part of this, we are committed to opening up government procurement and to identifying opportunities for private and voluntary sector involvement in service delivery where these can offer benefits to the taxpayer.

*No heading*

viscount waverley: Her Majesty's Government which companies are currently contracted to provide outsourced consultancy services by each Government department and to state, for each company listed, (1) the country in which the company, or any relevant parent company, is registered and, (2) the renewal date for any contract through which they are engaged.

lord young of cookham: Full information on which companies are currently contracted to provide outsourced services to each Government department is not held centrally.However, a list of those suppliers that departments may engage through the Crown Commercial Service’s range of frameworks can be found at:http://ccs-agreements.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/suppliersSince January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archiveThose published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

*No heading*

lord lexden: Her Majesty's Government what was the size of the Privy Council on 1 July 2017.

lord young of cookham: The information is set out in the table below. DateNumber of Privy Counsellors1 July 2017671 A list of current Privy Council members can be found here: https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/privy-counsellors/

*No heading*

lord scriven: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 27 June 2016(HL662), whether they intend to prioritise the establishment of honorary titles for the spouses of women members of the House of Lords; and forsame sex spouses and civil partners of members of the House of Lords.

lord young of cookham: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer I gave Lord Lexden on 11 July 2017 (HL291): The Government is sympathetic to those who are seeking to change the current system of courtesy titles, and has considered this complex issue. However, resolving this difficult matter is not a priority for the current Parliamentary session.

Department of Health

Nuclear Weapons: Safety

earl baldwin of bewdley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 12 October 2015 (HL1940), what plans they have to commission or financially to support further studies that might meet the "specific and relatively narrow criteria" of the 2015 Cochrane review Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries, in the light of the point made in that review’s abstract that "the applicability of the results to current lifestyles is unclear because the majority of the studies were conducted before fluoride toothpastes and the other preventative measures were widely used".

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) the public, and (2) the environment, from the radioactive contamination of marshland adjacent to the Atomic Weapons Establishment following flooding in July 1989; and how that assessment has affected current policy.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) the public, and (2) the environment, from the illegal discharge of tritium into the Aldermarston Stream from the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) the public, and (2) the environment, from the fire at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in August 2010.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) the public, and (2) the environment, from the radioactive contamination of marshland adjacent to the Atomic Weapons Establishment following flooding in July 1989; and how that assessment has affected current policy.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) the public, and (2) the environment, from the illegal discharge of tritium into the Aldermarston Stream from the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to (1) the public, and (2) the environment, from the fire at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in August 2010.

earl howe: The answer given on 21 March 2017 (HL6105) was in response to a question concerning safety improvements in the defence nuclear weapons programme. The response was in relation to radiological incidents at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), none of which have ever posed any risk to the health of the public or the environment. The incidents raised by the noble Baroness did occur; a small number of residents were evacuated in 2010 as a precautionary measure due to a fire in a non-nuclear area. I can confirm that in none of the incidents cited was it assessed that there was any radiological risk to the public.The risk of any of these incidents recurring has been greatly reduced due to subsequent improvements to the infrastructure at AWE.Activity at AWE sites is governed by a number of permits, authorisations, licences and consents for managing waste and discharges to the environment. AWE plc and the Ministry of Defence continuously monitor their compliance and inspections are routinely undertaken by the relevant regulatory authorities, including the Environment Agency.

Nuclear Weapons: Safety

earl baldwin of bewdley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 17 November 2015 (HL3315), why the Executive Summary of the report by Public Health England Water fluoridation: Health monitoring report for England 2014 concludes that "The report provides further reassurance that water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure", when the Limitations section of the report states that "there was potential for considerable misclassification of exposure status" and the Conclusion section states that "the population-based, observational design does not allow conclusions to be drawn regarding any causative or protective role of fluoride".

earl baldwin of bewdley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement in the Executive Summary of the Water fluoridation: Health monitoring report for England 2014 that there is "no evidence of a difference in the rate of hip fractures between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas", what account Public Health England took of the article "Adding fluoride to water supplies" by Cheng KK et al in the British Medical Journal of 7 October 2007, in which the authors state that if the population of England had an average lifetime exposure of ≥0.9 ppm fluoride in drinking water a modest association between fluoride and hip fracture, if such exists, would have a less than one in five chance of being detected despite potentially causing more than 10,000 excess fractures a year.

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many train paths an hour will be freed up on the West Coast Main Line when HS2 Phase 1 is operational according to Network Rail's West Coast Main Line Capacity Plus study, and when that study will be published.

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the additional cost of £70 to £80 per annum, at 2011 prices and based on a 50 per cent probability of cost overruns, to all Thames Water customers of the Thames Tideway Tunnel, as quoted on page 83 of the prospectus of Thames Water Utilities Cayman Finance Ltd, represents good value for money for the consumer.

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the total cost of fees, facilitation costs and enabling works for HS2 in each year since 2010.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the records of accidents and incidents which have taken place in the nuclear defence programme in the past 30 years; and whether they will place a copy of those records in the Library of the House.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the records of accidents and incidents which have taken place in the nuclear defence programme in the past 30 years; and whether they will place a copy of those records in the Library of the House.

earl howe: Maintaining nuclear safety within Defence is paramount and continuously assessed. It is independently regulated in accordance with legislative requirements by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and, where exempt, by the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) independent nuclear regulator, the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR). All events, incidents and near misses are recorded across the full spectrum of International Atomic Energy Agency Nuclear Event Scale ratings. Each nuclear licensed and authorised site is required to maintain records and demonstrate learning as part of the routine regulatory engagement process. The MOD also has Ministerial Reporting Criteria for nuclear events which align with those used by the civil sector. As well as Defence Ministers, the reporting criteria requires the MOD to inform, as appropriate, the ONR, the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. In addition, any events are routinely discussed with established Local Liaison Committees. I can reassure the noble Baroness that MOD nuclear programme activities are demonstrably well within accepted civil nuclear safety standards. I can confirm that since 2000 events and incidents have not challenged these standards and that the health of the public, the environment, and our workers remain safe. The MOD is not complacent and all incidents assessed as having safety significance are fully analysed to establish the root cause and measures put in place to prevent recurrence. Further information can be found in the annual DNSR Reports publications, and copies can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-nuclear-environment-and-safety-board-assurance-reports The information regarding all incidents over the last 30 years is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.